A Visit to Knoxville Center Mall - CLOSED (Feat. Belk)

Welcome to Tennessee. Our first stop is at the Knoxville Center Mall near Knoxville TN. Textbook dead mall on its last leg. Belk is on its way out. And all that's left is the movie theater, a couple restaurants, and a handful of stores. Occupancy is somewhere around 10%. I don't think this place will last much longer.
Minds - www.minds.com/...
Ko-fi - ko-fi.com/doom...

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

UPDATE: East Town Mall - AKA the Knoxville Center Mall has been slated for closure. RIP East Town Mall: 1984 - 2020.

[@missmable6015]

Aw, how sad😪

[@imvugovernmentphone]

The East Town Mall is where I used to go when I was little

[@missmable6015]

I can't believe the Knoxville Centrr mall is dead & closing. I used to love going to the mall back in the 90's before I moved out of the state of TN.

[@syxepop]

IT ALREADY CLOSED in late February, 2020 as Ace's Adventures filmed a couple of days before it closed to the public...

[@platinumbleu]

I’ve lived in the Knoxville area since 2003 -never been to this mall ( I still refer to it as East Towne even thou I’ve never been to it). I always pictured it to be unkept, dingy, and spooky. Even almost empty, it looks nothing as I imagined it would. Also, I thought it closed in mid 2019, so I’m surprised to hear it’s still open as of Jan. 2020

[@timothydonohoo7630]

My father first took me to this mall about five or six years ago when he was still alive. The mall was still booming, and the Toys R Us was still across the street. I remember a Packards game store, it had a HUGE flat screen in the window showcasing Super Street Fighter II on the SNES. I caught a sight of T. Hawk fighting Cammy from the floor above and knew that I had found the right place. It was the ONLY place I knew of where you could buy a copy of Xenoblade Chronicles. Plus, Sci-Fi City, a HUGE comic book store, was also still there, and they had a great selection. Now, ‘tis all (my father, Toys R Us, the mall) just a faint memory, never to be experienced again. Sad...

[@FireKing30]

The theme isn’t hillbilly, it was supposed to be southern nights. There was a shooting in 2008 which made everyone scared to come. It was an isolated incident but so many of the folks in town decided it was the “bad mall” because of the side of the town it’s on. I worked there for 11 years and never had a single issue. None of the people I know that worked there ever had an issue but people in town made their judgmental minds up and decided it was too “scary” to go there. Knox Partners LLC owed or may still a lot of money in back taxes. They also hadn’t paid the grounds keeping crew in sometime last time I read about this a few months ago. This mall is going to die because of closed minds and very poor management.

[@LindaFromSeaAtTull]

*There

[@bh4380]

So very sad a lot of Great Memories starting with morrisons cafeteria and when my Son wasé young christmases it will never be forgotten what Memories luv u east towne mall always wish it could have

[@MakoAoyama]

One thing to mention, there was a shooting that happened a few years back that scared a lot of people off for good. As far as I remember, it was a disgruntled employee who specifically went after his former employer and that was it, but it was enough to scare the hell out of people. It was after that incident that the mall started becoming more and more empty.

[@FireKing30]

MakoAoyama A man tried to return a suit to the suit store Milan and the owner refused to take the suit back. The customer went to their vehicle and got a shotgun and killed the owner. This happened in 2008 and is the real reason Dillard’s left, don’t let them fool you.

[@danielbuckner7075]

@@FireKing30 one shooting and it gets a bad rap west town people get shot drug by a car in the parking lot beat up over a purse and raped but hey lets go west town

[@bh4380]

RIP East Towne Mall foever will be luved and never forgotten

[@bacountess]

Real cinemas was originally Untied Artist Cinemas ( now owned by regal). To the best of my memory it was a 6-8 screen theater. Then remodeled in 1997 and given the name Knoxville Center 10, Just a little bit more info.

[@michaelmclean3394]

I have many great memories at this mall. I like how you went to the door of Sears on the second floor and continued on the first floor.

[@lowlifeminitrucker6910]

I've lived in Knoxville for over 30 years. I remember going here ad a kid, I got my first ear piercing here. So many good memories, spent so much money also lol. Definitely will be missed.

[@tylerh.2948]

The center court used to have a waterfall if I remember correctly. And there for awhile they had trampolines set up and around Christmas it was themed as a "winter wonderland"

[@DougTrovinger]

I moved to East Knoxville in 2008 to go to school at UTK (University of Tennessee - Knoxville). It was doing okay at the time but more and more people went west as you mentioned and this mall was beyond doomed. Crime became an ever-increasing issue at the mall as well. Most of the times it was quite dead in there even with three (3) anchors and Regal Cinemas back then (Dillards was already closed). Sad to see it go but the area needs some love.

[@XxXHeLLoKittYXxX104]

So sad. East Town mall was my childhood, this was the popular mall. Now everyone goes to West Town mall. 😩 the center of the food court had a Wire Jumper attraction. and during the holidays we had a Santa and winter wonderland scene with the whole kids train ride on a train track.

[@brutalictesku]

A haunted house routine at a dead mall. Lmao!! That's genious! Someone needs to monetize that idea.

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

Some have actually taken up this idea. I saw one over at Coventry Mall in PA.

[@imvugovernmentphone]

@@DoomieGruntVentures what was the music called in the video

[@RawRealRetail]

This was an excellent video man! I especially liked that song at the very end. It's creepy how dead some owners let a property get before they close it down.

[@michaelmclean3394]

I visit Knoxville Center mall today November 7, 2019. The Belk store was in their final closeout part of the sale. Regal had already been closed up less than a week before. That annoyed me because they announce the closure on October 31 and by November 1 they were closed. I went by to say goodbyeTo the old girl. She made quite a bit to me. I had many fun memories in that place. Today was ultimately depressing. It was like saying bye to an old friend that was dying of a terminal disease.

[@sparky240tn5]

It is the women’s belk at west town mall that looks to be a single level but in fact has an entire floor beneath designed for retail yet blocked off from the public to be used as storage instead. The men’s belk is a separate store on the opposite end of the mall and is two stories.

[@lindagoreham2238]

I wish they would put a Senior Center in there. Maybe have some events in there or fund raisers. Oh well, thanks for posting!

[@savdavid]

There is (are they still there?) apartments overlooking the Mall from a hill. I lived in those apartments from 1990 to 1992. In January of 1993 I moved from Knoxville. I took pictures looking down at the mall so I could show people back home the view I had. I still have them. The mall was doing fine back then but it was never what I would call crowded inside or in the parking lot except maybe scattered days around Christmas. Most of the time it was easy parking and easy to navigate inside with no major crowds. I liked shopping there because of the ease of getting in and out. However, I did notice the surrounding areas were much poorer than the west end of Knoxville. In addtion, I worked at a business right across the interstate from the mall and we got broken windows and items stolen more than once. Crime is definately a factor in this area. I still enjoyed working and living in East Knoxville. Too bad about the closing but I am not all surprised.

[@mcamp39004]

Dillard's closed the bottom level about 6 months before it closed, and Profitt's closed the bottom level about two weeks before transitioning to Belk at which time it reopened both floors.

[@enigmapoj]

I lived in Knoxville during this mall's prime in the 80's and 90's. In the center court downstairs there used to be a large water fountain in the middle. My grandmother loved to walk this mall and she would take me shopping there when I went to UT. At that time, West Towne mall was not doing as well, but as things moved more on the west side of town things declined here. My partner and I left Knoxville moved to NYC in 1997 but visit family in the area and so sad to see this mall fade away more and more with each visit.

[@sunshinenicki29]

Just read that it was closing closing at the end of January 2020. Hate that, but I’ve not been there in years.

[@radio1342]

Place was always packed in the 80's. Gonna miss it, sad to see it empty spent a lot of time in this mall.

[@johnbussell8279]

It’s a shame, there is so much potential for that area for business. It lacked a true renovation, any effort to continue growth, and overall management killed this mall. West town’s mall had a complete renovation and is now thriving

[@presto111man]

When you mention the mall in TN that has gone to business use and is doing ok, do you mean the mall in Nashville that has the skating rink?

[@hillorisartin6129]

So sad all these malls are closing. Looks like that used to be a nice one.

[@andyjones7582]

This mall used to be so cool. I bought so much useless stuff there. There was a games store there where you could rent out consoles and play games like cod and gears of war for like an hour or so.

[@js0009]

The lower floor wasn’t closed off as Profits to my knowledge and I had been going to that mall since it opened, the mall was designed to be heated by the skylights and body heat it only has air conditioning

[@greeneyes2797]

That about people moving west is partly true however counties around Knoxville have offered much to move from knoxville not to mention much retail sales have moved online.

[@danielbuckner7075]

the malls bad rap was a image problem that was never addressed the west town mall has had problems with people getting assaulted even over a purse, drug across the parking lot , drugs, gangs, rapes, and people getting shot . the main problem with east town / knoxville center is the new owner raised the rent more than simon just a mall store was around 15k a month, the mall owners were late paying their bills so the utility comp. cut the power once, they would turn off the ac in the hot summer and have the mall cold in the winter , when simon changed the mall to its shell company it was 60% occupied the few tenants that were left after the sale could't get any thing repaired and with the high rent most left and the same mall owners have 2 other properties in knoxville sitting Kress Building and standard knitting mill in knoxville, tn pre the late 90's remodel it used to have a large water fall in the center court with large trees and flowers

[@mycoblue9320]

Same thing happening in western Colorado, just today walking around a large vacant mall that was still doing some business a year ago. All the large retailers are now gone and the mall is now a ghost mall. I'm sure glad we are in the greatest economy ever! lol, maybe they can lease all of these ghost malls to WeWork, haha...People are finally beginning to understand about what we are facing very soon now. Good work on bringing the raw truth out to those that will take the time to open their eye's and look around. Time is running short IMHO. Thumbs up...

[@mycoblue9320]

At the 8:44 mark there is the signage that say's "Ignite Hope", unfortunately hope is not going to cut it for what the world is now facing. This is the end of the endless consumption era...I can only imagine what things are going to look like in another year from now.

[@alonzolane1092]

Thats one of the more empty and dead malls you ever did

[@irish80-93]

Glad you did video told Salvatore dude he should have done it on his channel...its sad been going to it since day 1 in 84 i still walk there once a month when im in ktowm ...it was a good place for my family to go like on a little trip from motown cause it was free but it still like with all the stuff to look at was a fun time ...and maybe some samples from hickory farms and icee from candy store up stairs and getting to go through all the music at record bar and disc jokey or I.O.U sweatshirts at merry go round good times....catch you on other side East Town

[@jessicraigaquaticsandexoti6664]

I can see my car in the parking lot 👍

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

Work at this mall or just happened to be there same time?

[@jessicraigaquaticsandexoti6664]

@@DoomieGruntVentures I work there and was watching news articles about it and whatever else on here.

[@Some5520]

The belk gives me a macys vibe

[@jegmanjacob686]

The center cort in Est Town had a jumper attraction with cables and to this day occasionally has events

[@irish80-93]

The center court was loaded with kiosk's and usually what ever holiday was going on or coming up ...upstairs was one of 1st chick fila around

[@dvferyance]

Now this is what I would call a dead mall. Some exaggerate what a dead mall is but this one is no doubt dead!

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

I will admit, some do blur the line between live & dead. I do acknowledge the nuance between, say, a dead mall, a struggling mall, and a thriving mall. This one, by all means, is dead. Go figure its closing January.

[@dvferyance]

@@DoomieGruntVenturesSome will tag a struggling mall as a dead mall when it isn't. It may have a higher vacancy rate but as long as it is surviving it is not dead.

[@amyrinker139]

So sad! I used to work as the housekeeping supervisor there back in the late 90's. That back ground music fits the dead atmosphere! Great video!

[@nancydarling4918]

Good video. Spooky mall. Thanks for filming.

[@WhittyPics]

There is a mall just off the interstate on my way to Ky that I always used to stop by but this one doesn't look like I remember though it has been over 10 years since the last time I went through

[@funecheeseofficial3576]

3:56 oh no its super tuesday No dillards closed And the 100 and something i forgot also affected the eatridge mall in gastonia And w 2nd floor haunted house would be sweet P.S from one of your biggest fans me XD

[@kaileyshayejackson2784]

The part that was spooky hadn’t been opened since early 2000’s because of a shooting Also I never heard anyone call this mall Knoxville center mall just because of convenience

[@irish80-93]

Was there yesterday on closing day pretty good crowd there today still sad

[@DAVIDSRETAILADVENTURES]

Nice video

[@ScareFestTTV]

Subscribed!

[@blakedmc1989HD]

shame! it's a beautiful mall

[@transitdude3352]

DEPRESSING.😔

[@irish80-93]

I never remember profits being shut down on bottom i always parked there

[@dmb3428]

that place was dead, more of these malls across the country will be going under in the near future as anchor stores become a thing of the past

[@jenniferburchill3658]

It's a shame this place couldn't have been repurposed as a cultural center.

[@chadlehman4206]

I worked there in the 90s

[@davehibbs9111]

How did you get in if it's closed 🙄

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

I went while it was still open

[@kaileyshayejackson2784]

I don’t know if I’d say hillbilly

[@imvugovernmentphone]

That was my favorite place

[@johnburke1317]

So sad 😞

[@17z483]

Koki: Knoxville, Tennessee 9/27/15

[@lifewithtodd7870]

YeeeeeeeeHawwwwwwwwwwww

[@transitdude3352]

So sad.